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I really need help judging the Jacobs Tree Surgery Photo Contest. Somebody’s going to win a nice prize, and I want the winner to be determined in a more democratic way than just relying on the opinionated perspective of me and my Jacobs Tree Surgery associates. Note in the paragraph below the suggested judging criteria, follow the link to see the entries and vote for your favorite. Thanks in advance. Results will be posted Tuesday June 26.

Topic: Most Ridiculous Mulch Volcano

About the Contest: The idea here is to raise the level of public tree awareness. I picked the volcano topic because it’s the biggest, nastiest tree problem out there. Mulch volcanoes are a bigger threat to the trees of suburbia than any insect, even the dreaded emerald ash borer! All are welcome to enter, whether you are an ordinary citizen with just the slightest interest in trees, or a green industry professional. You don’t need to be a skilled photographer either. We’re going to judge these photos on lots of different criteria. Photographic composition might be one of them. “Artiness.” But also anything that makes the photo interesting. Maybe the perps caught in the act. Maybe the root injuries or girdling roots depicted. Maybe something about the location, that it’s somewhere that you’d think they’d know better. Maybe just the sheer outrageousness of the volcanic mass. Some little detail that makes it humorous. Be creative… If you are a serious gardener or plant person, you know about the mulch volcano problem. If you don’t know, Google it. And marvel at the number of hits! And then read the articles I’ve posted on my website.

This weeping willow in Harleysville has adult imported willow leaf beetles feeding on its leaves. They won’t cause much damage. But the population of beetles is rather high, and they will soon lay eggs. When the larvae of the next generation emerge from the eggs, they will feed on the leaves in a skeletonizing pattern, and there will be enough of them to defoliate the tree. The client is aware, and he will probably spray them.

The way this client found me is a little bit strange. He found my website by googling “bacterial leaf scorch” (I have articles posted about my experiences with BLS). That’s what another “arborist” told him was wrong with his ash tree. And that the disease would kill the tree, so he should remove it. Well, ash trees have a few problems around here of late, but bacterial leaf scorch isn’t one of them. Anyway, the tree didn’t look good and we talked about the true ash ailments – ash anthracnose (which the tree did have) and emerald ash borer (which hasn’t been found close to here yet). In the end, he agreed we should inspect the tree for EAB, just to be sure.

Today, Ricky and Dave climbed the tree, and the one next to it, and checked it thoroughly. Good news – negative for EAB.

The ailing ash

Holes in leaves: from the ground you can’t see them in detail, can’t tell if it’s insect feeding damage; close up it doesn’t look like it. More likely caused by damage to buds from our late frost

We look for any clue – here you can see the wood pile contains ash firewood

While we were getting started, this hackberry emperor butterfly came by and took a liking to the minerals on Dave’s hardhat strap. (Click the image to see a nice big version!)

Dave and Ricky each went up a tree

…and did a good, closeup inspection of the crown.

If you have ash trees and are concerned about emerald ash borer now that it has been discovered in Bucks County, right now is the best time to have them checked. This is the peak time for emergence of the adult insect.

Most of the ash trees in our area have been losing leaves in the past few days because the rainy weather is ideal for the ash anthracnose fungus disease. Learn about ash anthracnose from this article in the Jacobs Tree Surgery blog: DON’T PANIC! Your ash tree is going to be OK.

Today was the annual Arbor Day of Service for the Penn-Del chapter of ISA. Arborists from many area companies came together to donate tree maintenance work at the Freedoms Foundation in Valley Forge. Trees were pruned in the Medal of Honor grove, where our climbing championship will be held on May 5, as well as elsewhere on the grounds.
Highlighting the day was the planting of a replacement crabapple tree in the circle of trees honoring 13 marines who were killed in a horrific accident in Vietnam in 1967. Veterans, some traveling from pretty far away, came to witness the event, and it was very humbling to hear their expressions of gratitude, knowing what THEY have given. This video will help explain the story.

I was in Walmart recently, looking at the plants. Ok, I suppose I’ve already turned off parts of my audience! But seriously, looking at all those trees in 2-gallon pots, I couldn’t help feeling a little bit sad. “Sad?” You might think, “Why sad? You love trees, and the idea of people planting trees is such a hopeful, positive thing.” Well yes it is. But I’m an arborist, and I get to witness so much disappointment when my clients show me trees that were planted a few years before and just aren’t going to live to be old. I don’t like to be negative, but the reality is that most of these trees will fail to fully live up to the hope and expectation of the persons who adopt them. So I bought two of them, took them home, and made this video while they were being planted. Please watch it, and pass it on in order to make more happy endings. Thanks, W.

I’ve been taking advantage of Morris Arboretum’s School of Arboriculture. On Friday I attended Larry Weaner’s Native Wildflower Meadows class. WOW! I can’t wait to put all the great information now in my head into practice as I help implement Lower Frederick Township’s Cuddy Park’s Environmental Restoration plan.

Advanced Climber School – Cranes Ricky, meanwhile, attended the Advanced Climber School (focus on crane takedowns) at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnwood. I stopped by on Saturday, the third and final day, to observe. I don’t need to say too much about it, this slide show pretty much tells the story!